RARE JP6 BFR Ebony Fretboard and Roasted Maple Neck?

[Edo619]

Hey everyone, greetings from Italy!


I’ve just bought (and it should arrive in a few days) a used 2010 JP6 BFR. The guitar has a black sugar finish — glossy black with sparkles — and features a beautiful roasted maple neck and headstock, along with an ebony fretboard. It also has the pearl “shield” JP inlays and the large BFR inlay at the 12th fret.


I checked the serial number and the certificate of authenticity, and it turns out this one was made in November 2010.


Looking around online, I noticed that most JP6 models (even the BFRs) don’t seem to have ebony fretboards or roasted maple headstocks. I was wondering if anyone here has more information about this particular run, and maybe how rare this configuration is.

 

[Sweat]

Looks like a run they did called Black Sugar , especially since the neck is glossy, limited run and no idea on numbers but betting semi rare

Cool color I had a Silo Special in that color years ago

 

[DrKev]

That was the first time Music Man did roasted maple necks and unusual in that it was one of the are times Music Man did a gloss finished neck. It was offered on most models and they all had ebony fretboards. Music Man keep production numbers to themselves but the ordering window was pretty short so numbers are overall low.

 

[dibart77]

Yours might be the one from the advertisement!

 

[Razzle]

That’s a nice guitar! I always wanted one of those. Had a chance to get one years ago but missed it.

Some players shy away from EBMM guitars with finished necks. Don’t know why. I had a JPX and it had a finished neck. I never even thought about it and I have about 10 other standard unfinished neck guitars.

Congratulations!

 

[Edo619]

Does anyone have any idea how much this guitar could cost in 2010?

 

[PinkPanther]

See posting #8 at JP6 BFR Black Sugar Roasted Neck....questions.

 

[ohbugger]

Congratulations! It also appears that the original piezo saddles have been replaced with the current style - most likely a previous owner had a failure of one or more of them.

 

[Edo619]

Congratulations! It also appears that the original piezo saddles have been replaced with the current style - most likely a previous owner had a failure of one or more of them.

wow, you really pay attention to details. Well, actually the seller told me the original saddles have been changed because in the original G string there was no output during piezo mode.

 

[Edo619]

FOLLOW UP:

I’ve been doing some more research lately, and from what I’ve gathered it seems that the real JP6 BFR models released from 2010 onward were actually quite different — especially in terms of the body shape and the contour of the upper horn. The tonewoods also changed quite a bit compared to the earlier ones.

From what I can tell, the rare version I bought seems more like a classic JP6 that happens to have an ebony fretboard, a roasted maple neck, and the BFR inlay — rather than the later-style BFR model with the redesigned body and different woods.

I’m not entirely sure if this one should still be considered a true “JP6 BFR” in the full sense, or more of a special transitional version.
Would like to hear your thoughts or if anyone can confirm this interpretation.

 

[GWDavis28]

Black Sugar is a great run. Congrats to you, great snag!!!

Glenn |B)